The Process of Fraying [Paperback] Woods, Jess Neal

Violet is a pillar of hospitality and compassion within her community. As a farmer’s wife and mother of a large brood, she is resolute, thrifty, and charming. The life that is woven between the land and her family is one of harmony and beauty. When she begins to struggle with depression, her life seems to unravel. At first the change is subtle, but it quickly intensifies as the flicker of a candle flame brings a way to feel again; her beloved creek becomes ominous as it beckons to her. Having no understanding of what is happening within her, Violet turns to both the religious and medical communities for guidance. Both fail her. With her identity stripped away and her family reeling from the aftermath, Violet must determine if she can make peace with the changes within herself before she is consumed by them. The Process of Fraying is a historical family drama that explores the social, religious, and medical stigmas surrounding mental health in the 1940s.